I submitted a proposal for a TED talk that was taking place in my area. I made the first cut, but did not make the final cut. I was bummed out about it. I decided to post the proposal video on the world wide wonder for all to see. All the bumps and bruises, my caffeine-fueled rant… my dealing with all that was around me… all there.
I will be giving this talk for real in September at Mohawk Valley Community College. I’ll keep you posted on those details… But for now, enjoy?
Spent the weekend putting together the next submission in my quest to talk at TEDxUtica.
As I’ve mentioned before, making a video is the second requirement after getting your idea accepted by the selection committee. I’ve put together a few choice stills of my under 4 minutes of madness… the last one is particularly disturbing but in such a Frank way…
I’ve held off posting this news (for mostly superstitious reasons) because it’s not really ‘news’ in the definite sense.
Then I thought, “What the hell Frank? Just post it.” So, I’m posting it.
Last year, I submitted a talk proposal to TEDxUtica… an independently organized TED event in Utica, pretty much down the street from where I live. If you’ve been on the internet for at least 5 minutes in your life, you’ve heard of, or seen a TED talk. It’s filled with creative, innovative and inspiring people giving talks about all that stuff I just said. Of course, my idea was rejected.
It hurt. But, it didn’t hurt that much. After all, I’m a cartoonist… our backsides are made for repeatedly hitting the ground.
Fast forward a year. The Utica event was successful enough to happen in 2014. This time, I hesitate to submit. Not because I didn’t think I had the chops for it.. but because if my idea wasn’t good enough the first time, why would it be the second time.
I ultimately submitted again, tweaking the idea slightly. I promptly forgot about it until I get an email on June 3rd. The subject line: Your TEDxUtica Speaker Submission. I didn’t open it right away. Why? It was just a rejection notice, right? Why start my day off like that when I can get it later in the day when I’m too tired to over-react?
Well, I did get to over-react. But in a good way. The committee liked my idea and wants to hear more. The next step is to make a 5 minute video fleshing out my talk a bit more. I should re-iterate: THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTANCE TO SPEAK! It’s merely my ticket into the second round. If they like what they see, I’ll know for sure in July if I’m in the November event.
If they don’t… there’s always next year.
Either way I’m excited.